• 4 min de lectura
• 4 min de lectura
Vessels are transiting the Bosphorus Strait equipped with nets, water tanks, and tires in an attempt to repel increasing attacks by Russian and Ukrainian drones in the Black Sea, according to security experts and videos obtained by Reuters.
Ukraine has intensified its aggressions against vessels and infrastructure facilitating Russian oil and grain exports since July, when Russia escalated its missile and drone launches against Ukraine's main grain exporting centers of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi.
The Caruzo, a Sierra Leone-flagged crude oil tanker, transited the strait on August 11 with water tanks hanging around its stern, apparently in an effort to cushion any attack and prevent damage to the engine room.
"The 28-year-old Suezmax tanker Caruzo (IMO 9137648), sanctioned by the United Kingdom, the European Union, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, and Australia (though not by the United States), sailed in front of us in Istanbul carrying one million barrels of Russian crude," reported TankerTrackers.com.
"The first thing we noticed was that the crew had covered the superstructure with nets and armored themselves, apparently fearing Ukrainian drone attacks. The aft half of the vessel also appears to have additional protection in the form of cages hanging from the sides, with the aim of protecting the engine room from naval drone attacks," it added.
Meanwhile, the Khrizopraz, a Russian-flagged oil tanker, had tires hanging over its hull when it passed on August 27.
"The scale of Russia and Ukraine's attacks on commercial vessels and port infrastructure has increased dramatically and could continue to rise," said Corey Ranslem, CEO of maritime security group Dryad Global.
"There are a couple of popular countermeasures we have seen on board vessels transiting in Black Sea operations," he added, referring to water-filled containers and another method involving nets.
This latter, increasingly common protection method is known as cope cages (protection cages or grid armor), which consist of a mesh designed to protect the vessel's superstructure from explosive drones. The Brisk and the Integrator had this protection last month when transiting the Bosphorus.
"These tools can be effective against some of the smaller drone types, but when you look at the larger military drones, they may not be as effective or, in some cases, not effective at all," Ranslem said.
Other maritime specialists also questioned whether these measures could prevent high-speed unmanned naval drones or attack aircraft with large explosive payloads from causing damage.
In recent weeks, several vessels, including the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Great Ocean, arrived severely damaged in the Bosphorus escorted by coast guard patrol boats.
Turkey, whose own commercial vessels have been subjected to repeated drone attacks in the Black Sea, summoned Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara over the weekend after attacks on two vessels near the Russian port of Tuapse.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan recently stated that the attacks in the Black Sea reactivated the global grain shortage, especially in Africa, which is why he called for an urgent solution.
On Monday, August 31, his Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, indicated that Ankara had developed a plan to re-establish safe grain transit through the Black Sea and was discussing it with both Russia and Ukraine.
However, Russia stated on Wednesday that it sees no reason to resume the Black Sea grain deal.
Turkey helped mediate an agreement in July 2022 to allow the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, but Russia withdrew in 2023 after complaining about obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports.
Ranslem noted that the agreement had managed to restore some navigation in the Black Sea at the time, but argued that the current situation is more volatile and that its resolution will require broader progress towards peace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that his country is winning the war initiated after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, despite fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone attacks and high casualties on a largely stagnant front.